Hair drier



March 21, 1933. 'r MOSELEY 1,902,334

a illustrated in Fig. 1.

Patented Mar. 21 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT YOFFOICE TOILINSON I. IOSELEY, OF FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOB TO DUABI' mu- I'ACTU BING CO. LTD FORMER-LY PACIFIC HAIR GOODS COMPANY I-IIL,v OF SAN FRANCISCO, A CORPORATION OF CALIFORNIA.

"EAIBDRIRB Application in ne a. 19:2. Serial in. 591,529.

This invention relates generally to hair driers of the type utilizing a heated flow of air, such as are useful in beauty parlors or for domestic use.

It is an object of the invention to devise a hair drier of the above type which will be relatively rapid in operation, and which at the same time will be economical in electrical power consum tion.

Itis a further ob ect of the invention to devise a hair drier of such a character that the operator mayinspect and manipulate the. hair during the drying operation, and which will also have provision for recirculating a portion of the heated air in order to effect economy in ower consumption.

It is a further 0 ject of the invention to devise an apparatus which will efiect drying both by discharging jets of heated air upon the head, and by also subjecting the hair to radiant heat. In this connection the invention is characterized by the fact that no therapeutic lamps or similar equipment are utilized. I

It is a further object of the invention to devise a hair drier having provision for regulating the temperature of the hair being dischar ed into contact with the hair, independent y of the power consumption of the so electrical heating elements.

Further objects of the invention will a pear from the followin description 1n which the preferred embo iments of the invention have been set forth in detail in con- 'unction with the accompanying drawings. it is to be understood that the a pended claims are to be accorded a range 0 equivalents consistent with the state of the prior' art.

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view, illustrating a hair drier incorporating the present invention: I

Fig. 2 is a front view of the hair drier associated valve means.

The hair drier as illustrated in the draw-' ings consists of a hollow shell 10, supported 00 by suitable means such as a portable adjuste stand 15. The side walls 11 of shell 10 are preferably made cylindrical, and the shellis also formed to provide a forward end wall 12. Extending forwardly from the as shell 10, and mounted upon the forward end wall 12, are a plurality of spaced air discharge'tubes which have been designated 13 to 16 inclusive. 'Tubes13 to 16 inclusive are grouped in an inverted U formation, so as to extend along the sides and over the top of the. head of hairto be dried.

The rear ends of tubes 13 to 16 inclusive, which are attached to wall 12, have substantially unobstructed communication with the interior of shell 10. To facilitate making mechanical connections and to facilitate assembly, wall 12 can be made composite, as for example of sheet metal parts.

The rear end. of shell 10 is formed by a closure 17, forming a housing for an electric motor 18. Mounted upon the shaft of motor 18, there is an air impeller 19. The shaft of motor 18is substantially aligned with the axis of shell 10, so thatthe plane of rotation of the impeller 19' is substantially parallel to the plane of front wall 12. To mount electrical motor 18, suitable means such as a cast ring 21 is secured to theside walls of casing 10, and this ring is provided 9 with a bracket 22 upon which the motor is secured. Ring 21 is provided with an annular flange 23 positioned immediately behind the impeller 19.

Each air discharge tube 13 to 16 inclusive is provided with a series of spaced openings 26, along their inner sides, to, permit the discharge of jets of air upon the head. It is preferable to provide means for individually controlling the discharge of air from each discharge tube, and to afford means ofthis character, each tube is shown fitted with an inner valve sleeve 27 A cap 28 is fixed to the outer end of each valve sleeve 27, to

facilitate manual adjustment. Referring to Fig. 7 each sleeve 27 is provided with a plurality of series ofopenings designated 29, 30 and 31, of graded diameters. For one position of a particular sleeve 27, in which the series of openings 29 is in registry with openings 26, the discharge of air' is substantially unobstructed. For a second position of sleeve 27, openings 30 are in registry with openings 26, and the discharge of air is restricted to a substantial degree. For a third position in which openings 31 are in registry with openings 26, discharge of air is further restricted. Obviously other gradations in the discharge of. air can be made, as for example by brin ing certain of the openings in sleeve 27 on y partly in registry with openings 26. The outer face of each cap 28 can be provided with a rib 32, serving as an index to apprise an operator of the positioning of each particular valve sleeve 27 A In order to effect a recirculation of a portion of the air discharged from the tubes 13, thus efiecting an economy in the amount of electrical power required to heat the air,

- the central portion of front wall 12 has been shown provided with a relatively large opening 36, which may be said to be located between the marginal ortions of the front wall. Secured to the out wall 12- and ex tendin rearwardly of opening 36, there is acon uit structure 37 forming a passage for air flow, which can be made of sheet metal, and which is preferably frusto-conical shaped. The inner and smaller end of structure 37 terminates in a region adjacent" the forward side of impeller 19, and in such a position as to deliver air to the impeller for redelivery. Extending across the inner end of structure 37 there is a screen or grid 38, and likewise. mounted upon the inner end of structure 37 behind screen 38, are the electrical heating elements 39. These electrical heating elements are preferably naked resistance conductors which are adapted to operate at red or glowing heat. They can be secured to an insulating structure 41, which in turn is mounted upon the inner end of structure 37. Electrical conductors 42 leading to the exterior of shell 10 serve to make electrical connections with the heatmg elements. An arrangement of control switches utilized in conjunction with con-' ductors 42 may serve toj regulate or adjust the ower consumption employed.

T e impeller 19 is preferably designed to efiiciently receive air through structure 37 and todeliver the same into the annular space 43 surrounding structure 37, and from t ence into the air delivery tubes 13 to 16 inclusive. The form of impeller illustrated gives good results, and consists of a disk 44 having radially extending vanes 46 mounted upon its forward face. An annular rim portion 47, secured tothe peripher of disk 41, serves .to deflect the discharge air forwardly into the annular space 43. Vanes or baflle members 50, positioned within space 43, serve to minimize swirling of air and to'deflect the air into the inlet ends of the air dischar e tubes.

In addition to the means previously explained for the discharge of air jets upon the head being dried, it is desirable to make rovision for the discharge of air upon the hack of the head. For this purpose the lower marginal portion 49 of front wall 12 has been shown provided with a series of openings 51. These openings are formed by providing struck-out portions 52, so that air discharged therefrom is directed upwardly and forwardly.

' With recirculation of air as it is accomplished with my drier, it has been found desirable to commence the drying operation with a relatively large amount of recircus lation, and to carry out the final stages of the drying with a considerably smaller amount of recirculation. This is for the reason that during preliminary stages of the drying it is feasible to use a relatively higher air temperature, and also for the reason that during the latter stages of the drying, the air should be relatively dry and at lower temperature. When recirculation is at a maximum, there is a tendency for the moisture content to be relatively high, which is not conducive to proper drying during the latter stages. To eflect a direct control of the amount of air recirculated, I provide a structure 54 formed of sheet metal bent Ushaped, and of substantially greater diameter than that of the shell 10. To sliddent that a smaller proportion of air dis- 16 inclusive, without bein over the head of hairbelng dried. This.

wall 12, and within'the space surrounded by tubes 13 to 16 inclusive. Current is ap-' plied to motor 18 and likewise to the heating elements 39. Air is discharged upon the head in the form of jets from openings 26 and a certain amount of this air, depending upon the positioning of structures 54 is redelivered back to impeller 19, while the remainder is dissipated to the atmosphere. Note in this connection that because of the use of spaced tubes, fresh air from the atmosphere is permitted to flow to the impeller through the spaces between the tubes 13 to drawn directly characteristic obviously renders the device distinctly superior to the use of a closed hood or helmet encompassing the hair. Even when structure 54 is in its forward position, a certain amount of fresh air from the atmosphere can flow directly to conduit structure 34, through the space between structure 54 and the side walls of shell 10. During the course of the drying operation, if one portion of the head should become dry before another, the valve sleeves 27 can be adjusted accordingly. Heating elements 39 not only heat the air by direct contact therewith, but since they are operated at a glowing temperature, a certain amount of radiated heat is directed upon the back of the head to promote drying.

I claim:

1. In a hair drier, a shell throu h which a current of air can be caused to ow, said shell having a forward end wall, a plurality of spaced air discharge tubes grouped in an inverted U formation and mounted on the sides and upper marginal portions of said front wall, said tubes having inner side openings for the discharge of air jets and having inlet ends communicatin with the interior of the shell through said end wall, the lower marginal portions of said front wall having openings formed therein for the discharge of air in a forward direction, a rotary mpeller disposed within the shell and adapted to deliver air to said tubes. and said last mentioned openings, a frusto-conical structure secured to said front wall and serving to form a passage leading through said front wall to said impeller, said passage being located above said last mentioned openin and within the space encompassed by sai tubes, and means disposed within the shell for heating air flow.

2. In a hair drier, a shell throu h which a current of air can be caused to ow, said shell having a forward end wall, a plurality of spaced air discharge tubes grouped in an inverted U formation and mounted on the side and upper marginal portions of said front wall, said tubes openings for the discharge of air jets and having their inlet ends communicating with the interior of the shell through said end wall, a rotary impeller fnounted within the shell to rotate upon an axis substantially perpendicular to the plane of said .end wall, said front wall having an opening formed therein between the marginal portions of' the same, a frusto-conical structure communicating with said openings and extending rearwardly from said front wall to a region in proximity to said fan, said struc" ture forming a passage to redeliver a portion of the air discharged from said tubes back to said fan, and means mounted within said shell to heat the air fiow.

3. In 2? hair drier, a shell through which a current of air can be caused to flow, said" shell havin a forward end wall, a plurality of air disc argetubes arranged in an in-' verted U formation and mounted on the side and upper marginal portions of said end wall, said tubes having inner. side openin s for the discharge of air jets and having their inlet ends communicating with the interior of the shell through said end wall, a rotary impeller mounted within the shell behind said front wall, and rotatable about an axis substantiall perpendicular with res ectto the plane 0 said wall, said end wall avin an opening formed therein between sai side and upper marginal portions, a frustoconical structure disposed within said shell and extending rearwardly from said front wall, the'larger open end of said structure communicating with the opening through said end wall, and the inner, smaller open 'end of said structure being in proximity with the central portion of said impeller,

whereby recirculation of discharged air 00- curs through the passage formed by said structure, a screen extending across the in ner end of said frusto-conical member, and an electrical heating element disposed between said screen and said impeller.

4. In a hair drier, a shell through which a current of air can be caused to flow, a

rotary impeller mounted within the shell, a plurality of spaced air discharge tubes communicating with said shell and arrangedso as to embrace the sides and top. of a head of hair to be dried, said tubes having side having inner side "we a openinis adapted to discharge jets of air upon t e sides and top of the head, means forming an air inflow through one wall of the shell to enable a recirculation of a portion of the air discharged from said tubes back to the impeller, means mounted within the shell for heating the air flow, and an adjustable structure adapted to encompass said discharge tubes, to regulate the amount of air recirculated.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

TOMLINSON I. MOSELEY. 

